In Time
by br0flove
Summary: She was finally his, and he would always be hers. Caroline looks back on her most favoured memories so far. Family and love, lost and gained, but she would never turn her life on them. It was a damn good life. Klaroline. Stebekah. Kalijah. T for suggested themes and death.


_I do not own The Vampire Diaries_

* * *

At the age of eighteen, Caroline was the typical Queen Bee of her school, honour student, Miss Mystic Falls, prom queen, head of the dance committee, head cheerleader and girlfriend of the school's best football player. At the age of eighteen she met _him_; dirty blonde hair, blue-green eyes and dimples that didn't quite match the look of distaste in his eyes.

He was standing outside the school, back propped against his Porsche, staring lazily at his watch with the occasional glance upward at the entrance of Mystic Falls High School. It was mere weeks before Caroline was due to graduate, and she had never seen this mysterious man before, and who would she be not to introduce such a stranger to the school? _Definitely_ not the bubbly-blonde Miss Mystic Falls.

She grinned, bounding toward him, blonde curls bouncing on her shoulders as she practically _hopped_ in front of him, jerking him out of his daydream.

"Hello," she began, sticking her hand out. "I'm Caroline Forbes, I haven't seen you here before. If you're looking for reception it just through those doors. Are you thinking of applying for the History teacher position?"

The stranger frowned at her outstretched hand before taking it in his own. "Niklaus Mikaelson, but please, call me Klaus." The accent dripped off of his tongue like venom, and Caroline found herself shivering as he firmly shook her hand, pulling his away and pushing it in his back pocket. "I'm not looking for reception, and I'm certainly not looking for a job. I'm here to pick up my younger sister. Perhaps you know her?"

"Maybe," Caroline grinned, swaying on her tiptoes. The name Mikaelson had sounded familiar. "Rebekah, right?"

Klaus nodded, eyes falling back to the entrance of the school before glancing at his watch one last time. He pushed himself off of his car and moved around Caroline to open the passenger door. "Ah, there you are, sister," he murmured, irritation in his voice. "I was beginning to think you'd never show up."

Rebekah smiled at her brother, nodding her head at Caroline before slipping into the car. Klaus shut the door for his sister and turned to Caroline, picking up her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "A pleasure to meet you, Caroline, perhaps we will meet again."

They had. Every day until graduation Caroline had spotted the familiar Porsche outside of school and the British God himself leaning against it, a grin on his face as he spotted her. Occasionally she would go over, other times she would simply smile his way as Tyler tugged her hand toward her own car.

She had always been close to Klaus' sister, though never really knowing about her family; although she never questioned it. She always assumed Rebekah was an only child with the way she walked around and spoke to other people; the attitude of a queen herself.

**x -**

Rebekah had held an after-graduation party at her mansion, opting to invite her friends and the rest of Mystic Falls graduates.

"Caroline, you made it!" Caroline smiled as Rebekah pulled her into a hug, dragging her into the house by her wrist and pulling her into the kitchen. "I can't believe it's over, our life is finally _ready_. Aren't you excited, Caroline?"

Caroline shrugged fragile shoulders, glancing around the large kitchen. "Tyler and I kinda broke up," she admitted, hanging her head and wiggling her toes under her own gaze. Rebekah stood, silent, before she snorted and pulled two plastic cups out, pouring them with a bitter amber liquid and shoving it in Caroline's unexpected hand.

"Drink, forget, and have a good time. Who needs men, anyway?"

Caroline appreciated the encouragement from her friend and took the drink willingly, nudging her cup against Rebekah's before downing the drink and cringing at the taste; her throat burning in the aftermath.

"God, that's disgusting!" She groaned, wiping her mouth as she placed the cup on the counter. Rebekah grinned and began pouring another, hovering over Caroline's own cup and waiting for her to agree. Caroline gave a curt nod, shaking her head and preparing herself.

As she was handed her cup Rebekah placed her arm around her shoulder and leant in toward her ear. "Don't tell Nik," she whispered, tipping her cup against her friends in a silent toast to the end of their childhood.

"To Nik," Caroline grinned. "God bless his alcohol cupboard."

Rebekah laughed, cup to her lips. "God bless."

**x -**

College started as a breeze for Caroline, she was in similar classes with her friends, Rebekah at her side and Elena in every other class. She had expected college to be a little easier than what she was currently going through, assignment after assignment - and _where were all the parties_?

She sat in the library, head in her hands and fingers entangled in blonde curls, a frustrated groan emitting from her mouth before she was shushed by a passer-by. She sent them a look of distaste before picking up her pen and biting the cap.

"Having trouble, sweetheart?"

Caroline glanced up and smiled instantly as Klaus sat in front of her, pulling the book toward him with long fingers. "Ah," he winced. "Never been the fan of history have you, love?"

Caroline shook her head and groaned again, her head falling into now folded arms. "It's not even that, Klaus, it's just so difficult. Like, I didn't even do this stuff in _high school_, what makes them think I'm going to know anything about it _now_?"

Klaus grinned and took the pen from her hands, ignoring her muffled moaning as he scribbled down a few notes next to the questions in her book. "There," he grinned, slamming the book shut and pushing his chair out as he stood. "Simple notes that will get you far enough on your own, Caroline. Now, come. Rebekah is planning family night again, and I couldn't possibly bare another moment with my family without a little support."

"Wait – _what_?"

**x -**

It started from there, the occasional family dinner Klaus would invite her to, sitting directly next to her, arm on the back of her chair, body turned toward her, and a constant smile on his face. Elijah had noticed it first - the initial change in Niklaus - Kol and Rebekah shortly began to clock on after Elijah had nudged them, pulling their attention toward the two, deep in conversation, grins on both of their faces.

Rebekah had simply cleared her throat, sipping her glass of water before she met her friend's eye and frowned in suspicion. She didn't want either of them to get hurt, Nik especially, with all he had been through with his previous engagement – and Rebekah never did approve of Tatia.

Slowly family dinners turned into private dinners, and Klaus would take her to museums out of town, and bring her back to the Grill, laughing over a shared plate of French fries and a large milkshake between them.

He would walk her home, her arm clasped in his and he would kiss her cheek goodnight. Slowly those kisses would shift a little to the right and more toward her mouth, and eventually, she initiated it, brushing her lips against his tenderly before she smiled shyly and opened her front door, looking over her shoulder at him with a gentle, "goodnight, Nik".

Really, it was inevitable, and they all knew it.

**x -**

Klaus had her pushed against his bedroom door, hands over her head, kissing at her neck, biting at her pulse point and indulging in the delicate little moans against his ear. His hands fell down her body, shaping her body through her clothes and gripping her hips with eagerness.

"Caroline," he growled into her neck, pushing himself back and pulling her shirt over her head as she did the same with him. He pushed against her, pressing her further into the door, hands cupping her breasts, moulding them beneath his palms. She moaned quietly, hands finding his hair, his neck, shoulders and chest before she settled on the buckle of his belt.

Four, long, patient months and he finally had her. He finally gained her trust and he could finally claim her as his own; _mark her_. He felt her fingers fumble with his belt, pushing it away and popping the button of his jeans open, dragging the zip down at an agonizingly slow pace. When her hands cupped him through heated fabric, he groaned, arching his hips into her before grabbing her wrists and spinning her around. His lips found hers, tongue caressing her bottom lip before she let him gain entry; tongues pushed against one another, hands fumbles with her bra, his boxers and her underwear before her knees hit the back of the bed and she fell on her back, bouncing on the mattress.

"Please," she whispered, raising her hands to his cheeks and brushing her fingertips against the stubble there. "I need you," she admitted softly, bringing his lips down to meet hers.

She was finally his, and he would always be hers.

**x -**

"_Nik_," she screamed, holding the crying baby out away from her shirt, sticky liquid pressing into her chest, slipping down her cleavage. "Come here, please!"

Klaus walked through the door, looking around the room before his eyes found her and a grin emitted on his face. He folded his arms and leant against the archway of the door. "Problem, sweetheart?"

Caroline growled at Klaus, moving toward him and placing his niece in his arms. "_Listen_," she hissed, her finger poking his chest as Lexi curled tiny fingers around his, gurgling happily. "I love Rebekah and Stefan, you know I do, but I did _not_ – I repeat, _not_ – sign up for this on my own! When Stefan asked _us_ to babysit, that also meant _you_. _Seriously_, Nik, she just barfed _all_ over my shirt!" Caroline huffed, crossing her arms, careful not to rub them in baby sick. "Now, you take Lexi, she needs a bath and then she needs her bottle before bed. _I_ am going to take a shower and I'll be out in time to help you get her ready. Okay?"

"Perfect, love," he grinned, glancing down at his niece. "Look what you did to Auntie Caroline, Lexi, did you do that, love?" The baby cooed, giggling up at her uncle. "Of _course_ you did, you naughty little thing. Now, let's get you bathed before Auntie Caroline throws a bigger tantrum than you."

Klaus grinned toward his love and kissed her cheek chastely before brushing past her out of the room. Caroline huffed again, peeling her sodden shirt off of her, throwing it in the basket in the corner and gliding into her en suite, shutting the door behind her and stepping into the heat of her shower.

She sighed in appreciation; head tilting back as she let the waves of hot water hit her face.

Twenty minutes later and Caroline left the bedroom, dressed in a pair of silk shorts and a small tank top. She found Klaus in the spare bedroom, sat beside Lexi's cot with a book in his hands, foot folded over his knee. She stood quietly by the door; head tilted with a smile on her lips as she listened to his soothing voice lull his niece to sleep.

When he stood, Caroline walked in, coming behind him as he placed a kiss on Lexi's forehead, closing the book and placing it on the chair beside the cot. "Any problems?" She asked quietly, arms folding around Klaus' waist. Klaus spun in her arms and placed a kiss on her lips, a soft smile on his face.

"No problems whatsoever. Come, let's go to bed."

Caroline was about to open her mouth to retort, but quickly shut it when she saw the gleam in Klaus' eye and the sly grin falling over his lips. She laughed quietly, following him out of the room and leaving the door open ajar so the light could enter the room a little.

"You look beautiful, Caroline," Klaus whispered against her shoulder, nibbling on the open skin softly. She sighed, resting back against him, head tilted. "You always look so beautiful."

She could get used to this.

**x -**

On their first wedding anniversary Klaus gave Caroline a photo-collage of the two of them, including snapshots of her and Rebekah, Elena, her mother, and a family photo of all of them together – Caroline and Stefan included. Caroline adored the gift, but couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at the lack of effort on Klaus' part, she had been working on the collage herself, and Klaus had clearly finished it for her. When he chastely kissed her goodbye and left the house for work, she had merely sunk down into her sofa, eyeing over the photos on the mantle-piece before she picked up the phone and sighed heavily into it.

"Stefan," she whined. "Can you come over?"

Twenty minutes later and her two-year old niece was crawling around her play-pen, picking up dolls and chewing their legs eagerly. Stefan was propped beside her on the couch, a coffee in his hands as he turned toward his best friend and let her rant on about Klaus' distance that morning.

"I got him tickets to _London_, for all four of us for Elijah's birthday. I got him a new Rolex watch, some cufflinks and a brand new Armani suit! That's not cheap, Stefan. I saved up for _six months_ to get those things. I refused to take his card to shop for myself – or for him, or for anyone for that matter! I worked really hard to get all of those things Stefan, and all he did was complete my collage. I don't understand," she sighed into her hand, elbow propped against the back of the sofa, eyes drifting to meet that of her friend's. "Did I expect too much? Like, I know he's a say-it rarely and mean it sort of person and he had a lot of difficultly _proposing _for God sake, but this was our _first_ _anniversary_, Stef."

Stefan brought his hand to the one in Caroline's lap and clasped it tightly. "Maybe he just didn't know what to get you?" He suggested softly, smiling at her. "Maybe he just freaked out? You never know, Caroline. He's not one for romance and like you said, it's very rare for Klaus to even say things, let alone do them, but when he does you know it means a great deal to him."

Caroline nodded, holding Stefan's hand in hers. "I guess you're right," she muttered, smiling weakly. "Thanks."

"No problem, Caroline. What are friends for?"

Stefan left hours later, and Klaus returned at four, earlier than usual. He came into the house, throwing his keys on the side and hanging his jacket up by the door. He moved into the living room, pressing a kiss on his wife's forehead in greeting before he moved into the bedroom to change.

Caroline sighed on the sofa, sipping on a glass of wine as she curled closer into fluffy pillows. When Klaus emerged he held a large box in his hands, a large silk ribbon wrapped around it. Caroline turned to her husband, her eyes wide and gleaming in joy.

"Stefan told me," he admitted quietly, sitting beside her on the bed. "He told me you were worrying that I had not truly taken into consideration the importance of this date. Caroline," he sighed, pressing the box on her lap and holding her hands in his. "I didn't forget, I will _never_ forget. I only wanted to surprise you, love."

Caroline nodded in silence, turning to box on her lap she released Klaus' hold from her hands and pulled at the ribbon, untying it swiftly. When she opened the box she was greeted with a wrapped up square board, ripping at the paper she pulled a painted picture of herself and Klaus, she turned to thank him before another wrapped gift caught her eye. She turned to him, dumbstruck.

"Nik," she started, smiling at his amused expression before pulling out the other wrapped package; the gift she found was a beautiful blue dress, and a diamond bracelet sitting wrapped on top of it. When she was sure that there was nothing else lurking, she placed the gifts in the box in silence and turned to Klaus, a large smile on her face, mirrored with his.

"You have no idea how much I love you," she told him, pushing herself into him and wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing kisses against his lips.

He laughed lightly. "Happy anniversary, love."

**x -**

When Liz Forbes died, every Mikaelson sibling attended. Elijah brought with him Katherine, and Rebekah brought Stefan, Kol came alone purely to support his sister-in-law and stood behind her with his siblings and in-laws, bowing his head when needed and murmuring out a silent _amen_ when he should.

Klaus had sat with her through the entire service, an arm wrapped around her as she hid herself in his chest, his handkerchief in her other hand, dabbing at her wet cheeks. She did the eulogy and looked directly at him the entire time; his softening face, and cool gaze and she forgot about everyone else in the room – just like they practiced.

They held the wake at her old home, serving drinks and food to the guests, accepting the condolences of her mother's friends and work colleagues. When the wake was over her brother's-in-law and sister's-in-law cleared up the house and ensured everything was exactly the way Liz had left it before she had died. Caroline spent that time in her mother's room, packing her clothes into boxes and curling up on cotton sheets, tears soaking her mother's pillow as she embraced the smell of her.

Klaus sat with her all night, brushing her hair with his fingers and soothing her with gentle rocks when she awoke in tears, begging it to all be a dream. When she eventually fell into a deep sleep he left to sit in the kitchen, a glass of bourbon in his hand as he mourned the death of Elizabeth Forbes; mother, Sherriff, _fighter_.

**x -**

"Klaus, seriously, stop messing about!" She scolded, batting his hand away from the cookies on the countertop. "These are _not_ for you, and I swear, if you try to eat one." The threat was an empty one as she turned back to the cookies, placing them on a plate and putting a lid over them.

Klaus grinned behind her, parching himself on a stool with a glass of champagne in his hand. "Caroline," he mumbled, pulling his wife closer when he could reach her. He lifted the flute to her lips and let her indulge in a tiny sip, enjoying the gentle hum of appreciation as it slipped down her throat. She smiled gratefully at him and moved away, leaning down to the oven and slipping on her mitts, removing food after food and placing it all on the counter top.

"Are you going to help or are you just going to sit there and watch?"

Klaus stood, placing his champagne flute down, he grinned. "I'm quite enjoying the show," he told her, winking her way before leaving the kitchen to greet the guests he was sure were at the door – well, positive considering he could _hear_ Rebekah's excitement.

As dinner came about, Elijah, Katherine, Kol, Bonnie, Rebekah and Stefan sat around the table, waiting for their hosts with wine and champagne around them. Their children all at home with nannies as the indulged in their family night simply for adults. When Caroline and Klaus finally came in, she sat with Klaus on her right, his hand resting on her thigh throughout dinner.

Family night was full of laughter, memories and tales told; Caroline still learning more about her long-term love. When dinner drew to an end, Caroline held up a glass of water in a wine glass as the family around her – her family – raised theirs too.

"To family and life," she said, holding a hand to the bump of her stomach.

Rebekah grinned at Stefan, clinking her glass with his and then with the rest of their family.

"Family and life," they echoed and Caroline smiled, sitting back in her seat and catching Klaus' hand in hers.

It was a damn good life.

* * *

**Un-beta'd, so I'm sorry if this was terrible but I got a few ideas from a lovely reviewer called 'Emma' and it sort of inspired me to mix them all up together; I guess you could say this is some of Caroline's most favoured memories as of yet (yet being I'm not sure). I wasn't sure whether to put this in 'Moments' or not or to make it an entirely DIFFERENT STORY ALTOGETHER let me know what you think I should do. I opted for a different story.**

**I promised you sexy times and I'm sorry I didn't commit, next time! If I get some nice reviews, because - guys, really - it isn't hard!**  
**I love you all, thank you for taking your time to read this.**  
**I can continue with other memories/moments in later chapters.**

**DON'T FORGET TO FAVOURITE AND REVIEW!**


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